I learned that in last year's COA, Orpheus' notebook would be sprinkled here and there with messages from the rest of the group. It looks like this year's COA is the same deal and I think that's really neat and quite cute.
And you can tell quite easily who is writing what notes:
Thanks to NetEase for showing us how everyone writes their signature, we can assuredly confirm the handwriting in the book is the same as this or that person's signature.
Once again, Evelyn is showing care towards Alice in reassuring her that she'll be fine. Then there's the little (somewhat cheeky sounding to me) "Catch you later."
Though I assume it's written in a more sincere way as it seems like a bye bye to Alice as Evelyn has duties to partake in the procession herself.
Florian's enthusiasm and warmth shines as bright as ever in just those three words (and exclamation point !!) alone.
Edgar's comment is on a page where the procession is being described and apparently he is so not impressed by the festivites.
Similarly, Richard is also not very impressed lol (Edgar and Richard are not beating the allegations of being two peas in a pod~).
But how in the world is this man writing in this way? I thought when I first saw his signature months ago that it was one of those signatures you can get in the form of a stamp but is this dude really writing like that???
I guess you'll never be able to mistake his handwriting for someone else's...
Anyways, this is another nice touch in an already feast for us lore lovers. It's too late where I am but I do plan to write about this COA phase when I have the time and energy. The beginning of the year has been rather busy and I want to write up so much (I'm slacking in the fanfic department *sigh*) but please be patient with me.
But for now, enjoy this lil tidbit (side note: I love seeing the personality in each signature.)
yall ever wonder it would be like to go into an idv match while dating dear ol gravekeeper? me 2, here you go!
character: andrew kreiss (grave keeper)
fandom: identity V
warnings: none? in game violence typa stuff! (and maybe some more rougher violence(?))
Tired and drowsy, you dredged your way back into the main hall of the accursed manor you had trapped yourself in. Match after match, hunter after hunter, injury after injury. You were exhausted, your only motivation to keep trying being your albino sweetheart.
"Y/N....you don't have to keep doing this to yourself, we can t-take a break if you want..." Andrew whispered as he reached down to pat your shoulder affectionately.
"I know, I know...But I can't give up yet." You sighed as you rested your hand over his, your hand shaking ever so slightly as you did. "Y/N, you-you're shaking...?" Andrew looked down at you in harsh concern, grasping your hand tighter as you leaned back to press the back of your head into his stomach.
Letting out another heavy sigh, you forced a weak smile as reassurance to Andrew. The both of you knew well that you were both reaching your limits, but neither were willing to stop until you gave in.
An expression of fear struck your face as you saw your hunter. "A-ahh....Wu Chang, huh?" You tightened your shoulder muscles, your grip on Andrew's hand growing harsh as you prepared to be downed in the first minute of the match. As your vision began to fade, indicating you'd be left in a random location somewhere in the hospital, you felt a cold pair of soft lips leave a kiss on your forehead, the chilly skin telling you it was Andrew.
Your heart was still and calm, and cautiously so, you began to sneak about rubble and rubbage to reach the nearest cipher. "Please don't let it be us first.....Please, god, please." you whispered as you began to tap away at the keys of the machine. When a more feminine voice screamed out, you guiltily let out a breath of relief, now knowing that Andrew would be okay for the time being.
About thirty seconds passed as you began to hear a quiet crumbling noise beneath the ground.
'Andrew!' you silently cheered as you prepared to help him out of the dirt. And as if on cue, a pale hand emerged from the ground. It was funny, similar to the dead raising, but you knew better than to make such jokes to Andrew.
Grasping his stiff, frigid skinned hand, you pulled your beloved out of the moist dirt. "Th-thank you.." Giving him a shy smile as a sign of "you're welcome", you both got back to decoding your half done machine. But of course, as your luck would have it, steadily your heart beat grew hard against your bony frame. "Andrew, go, dig!" At your command, Andrew gave a nod before grabbing your wrist and pulling you under his dirt tunnel with him.
As you felt your heartbeat hit harder and harder against your chest, your breaths became short and shaky. "A-Andrew..I can't..." But before you could get your words out, the two of you were yanked from the dirt and thrown to solid ground to continue by foot.
But the weak lungs that carried you weren't fully recovered yet, and eventually you got bashed on the shoulder as you were crossing a ledge, sending you reeling to the ground. "Sh-shit, I can't...stand..." Angry and wounded, you did your best to futily crawl across the ground to follow Andrew's dirt path he left in his wake.
A shining green light that emitted from Wu Chang's umbrella forced you to close your eyes for a few moments, the brightness just being too much for you after having been smacked down on a jagged concrete wall.
When you could see again though, you instantly wished you could go blind. Andrew was sprawled out on the floor, his shovel thrown far from him as he did his best to crawl to you. His face was harshly bruised, seemingly as though he had landed right on it after taking whatever injury he had sustained. "Y/N, h-help....me-" When you were readying up to heal him, he released a pained noise. As you looked up, a deep feeling of rage and panic bloomed in your core. Wu Chang stood smugly above your dear Grave Keeper, his umbrella piercing shallowly in the lower area of his back. His whimpers of pain were enough to push you to at least limp over to shock the hunter with a spare glove of Luca's you'd found in a chest. But Wu Chang sunk his pointed umbrella further into Andrew's spine as a warning.
Andrew's cries were sending you into a flurry of emotional panic now, your heartbeat now echoing painfully in your head as you cried out for him. It felt like all the colors and people you saw in front of you were melding together, your mind aching for some kind of relief as your eyes focused on the bright red that began to trickle into your vision. “y/n...y/n....”
“Y/N! Y/N!” Andrew’s voice was directly in your ear, your head now flush against the cool dirt. He was gently shaking you, just enough to snap you out of you illusive daze. “Wh-what the...A-Andrew!” You clung to him like that breath was the last you’d ever take, squeezing the life out of him in the process. “Hmbph! y/n, i-it’s okay..” his voice brought you back down to Earth, his soft tone ringing like quiet music to your mind. His hands were placed at your shoulders as he kneeled in front of you. You were both sitting on the top floor of the run-down hospital, both exhausted, out of breath, and wounded to some varying degrees.
Slowly, you eased your grip on the tall man’s shoulders, but as you let go, his hand met the side of your cheek, which you instinctively leaned into. Taking it as a sign that you’d be okay to go on, Andrew stood and offered a hand down to you.
“You really scared me, y/n. You got launched off that window sill, and I thought I wouldn’t be able to get to you before you got g-grabbed...” You shushed his worried thoughts aloud with a finger to his lips. “I’m okay now. This can...be our last match for the night. I can’t handle another one of Wu Chang’s visions, and I think I’ve run you thin of energy...” You smiled sheepishly as Andrew’s cheeks grew redder as you kept your finger near his soft-skinned lips.
You quickly pulled Andrew close, diving for underneath the creaky bed frame behind the tattered curtain. Your heartbeats thumped powerfully in sync as Wu Chang grew near again, his low chuckle indicating he was not happy you both escaped from his terror. You now held a finger to yours and Andrew’s lips, the both of you stifling your breaths to shallow, quiet ones. The noise of the gates being accessible breached the playing field, and Wu Chang quickly changed directions to go to the south bound gate entrance.
Once you could no longer hear the thump of your heartbeat, you made a quick audible note to yourself and Andrew.
“Detention.” You spoke in sync.
While gaining an extra boost of stamina was rewarding, the stakes were now much higher with an even more dangerous hunter.
Taking slow, even steps, you and Andrew made it down to the first floor of the dirtied hospital.
“It’ll be okay, we just have to-” Cut off by a loud clattering, Andrew silenced himself and dove with you into a barely lit room, a hand over each of your mouths.
“y/n? Andrew? It’s just me, guys.” Luca’s voice rang out from the hallway, his silhouette signaling that it was safe to come out. “The gates open, lovebirds, let’s go before he comes back.”
Andrew led both you and Luca, taking role as the leader (pretty surprising to see!). Luca paid no mind to the fact you were holding hands, only giving you a smug look as per usual. When you finally reached the gate, you were all surprised to see Wu Chang was no where to be found. Either he was planning something, or he really though you’d all appear at the south bound gate. Regardless, now was the perfect time to make a break for it.
“What are you waiting for, let’s go!” Luca called as he booked it for the exit. You turned to Andrew, giving him a confirming nod before pulling the both of you from your hiding spot and dashing for the gate. And just as you tumbled through, Wu Chang’s umbrella appeared directly above you both. Luckily enough, you both made it in time, Andrew taking the chance to tunnel underground with you to ensure a safe escape.
